Manchester City hope to complete the signing of Argentinian goalkeeper Willy Caballero in a deal worth up to £10million – but Malaga owner Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani has made a last ditch attempt to keep the player.

City are believed to have agreed a £6m fee for the keeper – who is set to rival Joe Hart for the No 1 sport at City – and the deal could rise to as much as £10m depending on appearances.

Boss Manuel Pellegrini worked with Caballero at Malaga and is understood to have won the race for his signature ahead of both Monaco and Barcelona.

VIDEO: Scroll down to watch an interview with Willy Caballero

Target: Manchester City want to sign Caballero from Malaga as competition for England keeper Joe Hart

Star keeper: Cabellero has long been regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in Spanish football

Gone: Manuel Pellegrini is short of cover for Joe Hart since Costel Pantilimon (above) left this summer

But
Al-Thani is keen to keep the goalkeeper in Spain and has made a last
ditch attempt to keep Caballero at the La Liga club by posting a heart felt
statement on his Facebook page.

In
the statement, Al-Thani says: ‘It is completely false that me as
President and therefore Malaga want to transfer our goalkeeper Willy
Caballero for economic reasons.

'It
is my desire as president and therefore the desire of Malaga that
Willy Caballero not only stay with us next season but until he retires
from professional football because for us he is the best goalkeeper
around the world but also an extraordinary person off the field, which
makes him essential in any team.’

But Al-Thani concluded by saying that the final decision would be up to Caballero himself.

He added: 'The final decision is in his hands because the last word and the final decision has Willy Caballero.

'Whatever
your decision, me and through this statement want to tell you that our
desire is you stay here with us, but always you have the doors open in
Malaga because this is your home.'

Al-Thani statement came shortly after Caballero announced on Twitter that he wanted to give a proper goodbye to the club and the fans via his official twitter account.

'I’m reading all of the things being written. I am grateful from the bottom of my heart. But I’m not going to say goodbye from there and I hope to do it in the way the team deserves.'